Improvement in corsets



' v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. S. STRAUSS. Corset-- No. 208,049. Patented Sept. 17,1878.

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I Vz'in asses Jn yen for NJETERS, PNOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. s. STRAUSS.

Gorset.

No. 208,049. Patented Sept. 17, I878.

[nvenior Minesses yd %f/M N.PETERS, PHOTD-LIYNOGRAiHER. WASNINGYOIL D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY SVSTRAUSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HENRY S. STRAUss, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Mannfacture of Corsets andldo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip-' tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon and making a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object the construction of a corset in which the various parts are so made and arranged that the fitting of the corset to the body is produced by the peculiar shape of the several patterns which form the base of the corset, and with such an arrangement and disposition of the shaping and stiffening devices as gives to the parts most exposed to wear and strain a corresponding strength, and to those parts which do not require so great a strain less material, whereby a corset is produced which is light and at the same time strong, and in which the several parts are so constructed and combined as to make of the whole corset a structure superior to any now in use.

In the drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 represent the several patterns of which the base of each half of the corset is composed. Fig. 8 represents one-half of the corset expanded, but without perspective shading, the dotted lines indicating the seams. Fig. 9 represents the hip-piece cl enlarged, and also a portion of the piece (1 broken away, showing the bones and the under seam.

Like letters and figures represent corresponding parts in all the drawings.

I will first describe the various patterns of which the base or body of the 'corset is constructed, which several patterns are made of such shape that when connected as herein described the corset will be shaped to fit the body.

Each half of the body of the corset is composed, first, of seven patterns, as shown in the drawings, numbered 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. In cutting these patterns, Nos. 1 and 7 may be doubled by folding the material on their outer straight edges. Nos. 2, 3, and 6 consist of two pieces each, cut to the same pattern, while No. 208,049, dated September 17, 1878 application filed June 26, 1878.

N 0s. 4 and 5 may be single or double, as de sired. The pattern Fig. lhas the usual hooks, and the pattern Fig. 7 has the usual eyelets. The pattern Fig. 1 is cut with both sides straight and parallel. The pattern Fig. 2 is out with one side straight, as shown, and

the other side expanding toward its upper.

The dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 indicate the seams which form pockets in such pieces,

in which pockets a e insepted the bones for expanding film breast-portion of the corset; and when the bones are inserted in these parts 2 and 3, and the parts united, as hereinafter described, this disposition of these bones forces outward the portion of the corset lying over the breasts. upper part of the pattern Fig. 7, when supplied with the bones, also tend to shape the corset to a desirable form. In Figs. 1 and 7 are also inserted the usual front and back bones, as indicated by the pockets formed by the seams indicated by the dotted lines in the drawings, and in Fig. 6 also a side steel may be inserted, as shown in Fig. 6.

When the pockets are formed in the several patterns 1 2 3 6 7 all the several patterns are sewedtogether. The best way of sewing them together is as follows: The edge of Fig. 2 (shown inthe drawingnearest to Fig.1) is sewed to Fig. 1 on the edge nearest to it. These pieces Figs. 1 and 2 are laid together sothatthe sides of said pieces which are on the inside of the corset when the corset is finished will face each other, and the edges of the parts are thus on the outside of the corset when the parts are expanded, and the inside of the corsetis smooth, the seams being what are called hidden seams. All the patterns are thus sewed together, the edge of the piece of each higher number (shown in the drawing nearest the lower number) being sewed to the edge of the lower number nearest to it. When all the The pockets formed in the 5 seven patterns Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 have been thus sewed together, the shape of the whole forms one-half of a corset so shaped as to make the form desired.

Having thus described the several patterns,

the arrangement of the pockets for the bones f.) All these pieces, except (I, may be made of equal width throughout their entire length and wide enough to form three or four pockets, as may be desired.

WVhen the corset is made up of seven patterns, as heretofore described, the seams connecting the several patterns are disposed in those several parts of the corset where these longer bones may be placed with the greatest advantage to fit the wearer and give proper shape to the corset, and 1 therefore make the pockets, when three bones are used, so that the middle bone will fall directly over the connecting-seam of the parts under it, or near to such seam.

By this arrangeinentof outside pockets, also,

an additional thickness of material is given to those parts coming in that part of the corset where the strain is greatest, while the disposition of the shaping-bones, as already described, is between only two thicknesses of material.

The hip-piece d, Fig. 9, is a narrow strip, with its sides parallel about one-half its greatest length, with a gore-shaped or flaring lower part, having pockets for bones of decreasing length, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. This piece at is sewed over the outer side of the corset, so

that the seam connecting patterns Figs. 4 and 5 comes under it at or about the heavy dotted line shown in Figs. 8 and 9 by the letters 0 o. This piece, while giving shape to that portion of the corset, also serves as a protection or shield for the hips, upon which the outer garments may lie.

In corsets as heretofore constructed the base of the body of the corset has been made up of patterns of various shapes and numbers,for the purpose of fitting the same to the body, and corsets so made are not new; but corsets as heretofore constructed have not been composed, as described herein, first, of a base made up of patterns, as shown and described, having the bones exposed to comparatively little wear and strain, arranged in pockets in the patterns forming the base, together with a system of pockets for the bones exposed to greater wear and strain formed by auxiliary patterns combined with the base of the corset.

WVhat I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A corset the base of each half of which is constructed of seven pieces or patterns of the shape described and shown, numbered 1 2 3 4". 5 6 7, having bones arranged and disposed in such several patterns as herein described, in combination with auxiliary piece-s described and shown, marked a, I), c, d, e, and f,disposed upon such base, and forming auxiliary pockets for the bones shown, all substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. A corset provided with an auxiliary goreshaped hip-supportin g piece, 0?, arranged upon the base of the body of the corset, substantially as described and shown, and for the purposes set forth.

HENRY S. STRAUSS.

Witnesses:

TALMADGE W. FOSTER, A. T. GURLITZ. 

